Kenyans bask in Nyong'o Oscar win

Mar. 04 - As Kenyans celebrate actress Lupita Nyong'o's Oscar triumph, those close to her say they knew she would be star. Joel Flynn reports.

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She's a new Hollywood darling, collecting her first Oscar for her first feature film for her role in "12 Years a Slave".
But it's not just Lupita Nyong'o herself who's ecastatic at her Best Supporting Actress win - she's delighted a whole country.
Kenyans rejoicing at their fellow countrywoman's success.
SOUNDBITE: Nairobi Resident, Rachel Kiarie, saying (English):
"I was happy because she's a Kenyan and I'm a Kenyan so she's part of us so we are proud of her."
SOUNDBITE: Nairobi Resident, Kevin Munene, saying (English):
"It's good to see that a woman can represent Kenya and not necessarily a man because Kenya is honestly going far as it is. With the young generation we are going to go places."
31-year-old Nyong'o won for her role in Steve's McQueen's slavery biopic, playing hardworking slave Patsey.
It caps a breakout awards season for the Yale-trained actress.
And it's something those that helped her train, like teachers Patrick Teiya and Patricia Kariuki, said feels amazing.
SOUNDBITE: Performing Arts Teacher, Patrick Teiya, saying (English):
"The greatest thing for a teacher is to be able to see someone you have worked with getting to that point you know where they are receiving accolades all over. There is nothing that gives a teacher so much joy than that. I mean You can't describe it, and nothing beats that."
SOUNDBITE: Rusinga Schools Head Teacher, Patricia Kariuki, saying (English):
"Her mother did visit our school I think two weeks ago and she is interested to know how we have kept up the drama and the theatre, and even Lupita can plug in to help her own school. So we are looking forward to that moment, and we are looking foreword to receiving her, just as a motivator for this children that they too can achieve whatever their dream is."
In a country where commitment to arts can be frowned upon, Kenya is now awash with talk of who could perhaps bring the country its next Academy Award.

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